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The USS Enterprise is assigned to the planet K'Trall – a planet just coming out from under the heel of barbarous suppression. When the planet's newly emerging freedom is threatened by a rogue ship attacking Federation shipping, CaptainJean-Luc Picard and his crew put their lives on the line to protect K'Trall from the raids.

But the planet itself holds a deadly secret, one that could lead to resurgence of the despotic cruelty they have suffered for centuries. With time running out, Captain Picard must see his way past a maze of deadly deception, with billions of lives hanging in the balance.

The Enterprise is sent to the planet K'Trall near the Romulan Neutral Zone, to deal with a pirate that has been disrupting shipping in the area. He is called Blaze, and has at his disposal a refitted Constitution-class vessel. Blaze's ship, dubbed the Glory, even has a cloaking device installed and manages to damage the Enterprise in a sneak attack.

J'drahn, the overlord of K'trall, seems reluctant to offer his assistance in capturing Blaze, and Captain Picard becomes suspicious. He sends Riker, La Forge, and Lt. Dorn, a security officer from Starbase 37, on an undercover mission. Posing as disgraced spacers, the three manage to become a part of Blaze's crew.

Picard soon becomes convinced that J'drahn is in league with Blaze. Unfortunately, the only man that can stop him is his father, the war-hero General H'druhn. The general, however, refuses to believe anything bad about his son.

Hoping that he can convince H'druhn of the truth, Picard rescues Colonel Z'gral, an old friend of the general. While there, the captain learns that the Romulans have a large force on K'Trall and are planning to assassinate General H'druhn.

Aboard the Glory, Riker discovers that Blaze's first mate is a spy for the Romulans, and that there is a cloaked Warbird in puruit of the Enterprise. He manages to get off a warning message, but is badly wounded, and Lt. Dorn is killed. Blaze himself kills the traitor and saves Riker's life.

With the Glory's help, the Enterprise defeats the Romulans in space and thwart General H'druhn's assassination. Blaze is allowed to leave with his ship, but must restrict his piracy to Romulan space.